Home and Garden

Lancaster City Councilman Bill Sumner said he wants to continue serving the people of the district and the city by running for the District 4 seat again.

He announced his intentions on Tuesday, two days after Tamara "Missy" Green announced she would be seeking the seat. Sumner is now finishing his first full term on council, after completing the unexpired term of the late Councilman Frank Harris in 2004.

Sumner said he enjoys the responsibilities of the position and he wants to continue serving during an interesting time for the city.

Instead of trashing old wine bottles, Clara and Thaddeus “Tee” Sexton have incorporated them into the landscape design of their Buford community home. Capitalizing on ideas picked up from home and garden magazines, the Sextons have created a greener garden by adding innovative glass touches throughout their yard. Old wine bottles (angled bottoms up) edge the natural area and sidewalk leading to their front door.

Janice Smith knows a winner when she sees one.And that’s just what JoAnn and Jimmy Mosier have created at 2352 Country Club Drive.The Mosier home has been selected by the Lancaster Council of Garden Clubs as the Yard of the Month for June. Smith is chairwoman of the selection committee.

The giant mowing pan on the SCDOT tractor parked in the hay field at Ben Snipes’ farm off Riverside Road immediately grabbed Clay Coley’s attention during Tuesday’s 4-H Agriculture Safety Day.Sitting under an awning beneath a shade tree to beat the heat, Coley, 6, listened as Bryan Baker, trade specialist for the local SCDOT right-of-way and vegetation management, explained how the tractor’s mowing pan can throw debris more than 300 feet.“That’s as long as a football field,” Baker said.“I like that tractor

The 2008 Lancaster Dixie Baseball all-star tournaments open with the annual AA city championship playoffs for the ages 7-8 league.The playoffs open Saturday with games at 9 a.m. and 11 a.m. at Wylie Park’s field five. Play continues Monday with games at 6 p.m. and 8 p.m.If needed, games will be played Tuesday at 6 p.m.

Ready or not, the 2008 Atlantic Hurricane Season has begun.And until Nov. 30, weather forecasters will keep a close eye on tropical systems along the Eastern Seaboard.June 1 is the start date for activity.In April, a team of Colorado State University forecasters predicted that at least 15 named storms will form in the Atlantic basin, with eight growing into hurricane status.

As North America wipes away winter’s residue and temperatures begin to rise, fleas and ticks again emerge in the ecosystem.Veterinarians Dr. Race Foster and Dr. Marty Smith, co-founders of PetEducation.com, have insight on fighting these pesky pests.Research shows that tick and flea saliva can cause allergic reactions in some pets.Cats and dogs rarely become desensitized to flea or tick bites once they develop the allergy, chewing at the base of their tails and scratching.

With an entire yard filled with brilliant color, it's easy to see how the home of Ray and Margie Vincent at 2469 Camp Creek Road received the designation of May Yard of the Month by the Lancaster Council of Garden Clubs.

The Vincents will receive a $25 gift certificate, compliments of Ace Hardware and Garden Center of Lancaster.

Thirty-seven years ago, the Vincents purchased the former home of Margie's late mother.